Ken HinesThis book was originally written and illustrated by Ken Hines as a class assignment for one of his graphic arts classes at the University of California, San Diego. He had made five copies and loaned them out but none of them were returned. However, sveral years later one of the copies was found and returned to Ken. After storing this copy for almost twenty-eight years, it was the basis for this new edition. Ken was born in Bloomington, Illinois. At a very early age, he moved to Joliet, Illinois and became a house painter for over forty-five years. During that time, Ken attended Joliet Junior College where he studied art, won numerous awards for his work, and was featured in a one-man exhibition. Ken moved to San Diego in his thirties, where he attended the University of California, San Diego and earned his degree in Graphic Arts. In 2008 Ken moved to Socorro, New Mexico to escape the hustle and bustle of big city life and be near family. Since then, he has become well known as one of Socorro's finest local artists. He has painted numerous murals around town and restored several advertisements on some of the city's most famous historic buildings. The characters in this book appear on a mural in the center of the town. When asked how he felt about finally having his book published, Ken responded, Better late than never. Read More Read Less